Because makeup shouldn't harm us or animals.
Duet Beauty Makeup Display

Behind The Brand: Duet Beauty

*UPDATE – As of 2022, DUET has gone out of business. Check out Francesca’s new brand, Hello Wink!

Duet Beauty Makeup Display
Photo by Clean & Cruelty-Free

As modern women, we all know what it’s like to have little free time for extravagant hair and makeup in the morning. However, most of us still want to look a little more polished, but need it to happen in 15 minutes or less.

Duet Beauty is an eco-friendly makeup company with an emphasis on clean, sustainable, and multi-tasking products for women on the go. We interviewed Duet Beauty founder Francesa to learn more about their company, their products, and their ethics.


Duet Beauty Founder & Co-Founder
Duet Beauty Co-Founder Nikki Williams (left) & Founder Francesca Eales (right).

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

My name is Francesca Eales. I grew up in Northern California but I am currently living life in Southern Illinois. My husband and I have been married for 17 years and we have three amazing kids. We actually met while we were both in the Air Force (we’ve been married since I was 19!), so I am a proud veteran! If I’m not making makeup you can usually find me hanging out with my family. I’m pretty low-key and prefer to spend time at home making random desserts, working on crafts, or maybe just going for a walk.

I’ve actually been making makeup for around 8 years. It all started when I was on a hunt for a red eye shadow and I couldn’t really find anything I liked. I have really sensitive and dry skin so I’m always picky about what I put on my face. I ended up making some lip balms around that time and I’ve been making makeup ever since.

How did the idea for your business come about?

It’s actually an idea that I toyed around with for about a year. I had a few random Etsy shops with different names that didn’t really pick up. Mostly at that point, I just made lip balms and tinted lip balm, and I think maybe at that time the marketplace was saturated. I decided to take a step back and really focus on a brand. So I created a brand sheet and picked out colors and fonts that I thought would inspire people to think more naturally and clean with their makeup choices. While also having a little fun. I had the idea of making a multi-tasking makeup stick and of course, the name Duet popped up from there. But I still fought with the idea until I brought on my friend and now Co-Owner Nikki Williams. She was instrumental in detailing my idea of this multi-use makeup stick into something women would love. Nikki was and is really the backbone of product development. Where I had this loose idea, together we were able to turn it into something tangible.

How did you choose your brand name?

I chose the brand name early on. When I had the first idea for a multi-use makeup stick. Duet seemed to fit. And when I moved forward with Nikki there were only two of us, so the idea of this company being about a partnership made even more sense.

What type of products do you create?

We create handmade boutique makeup and mainly multi-use makeup sticks. Our makeup sticks are really special because they are formulated and FDA-approved for use on your lips, cheeks, and eyes. So it’s really universal and you can use multiple sticks to create your custom look. Use them as a highlight, contour, blush, lipstick, lip tint or balm, or eyeshadows.

How do you select which ingredients to use? Is there anything in particular you avoid?

Ingredient selection came about by merging what works in the formula and what is good for your face. I’m not going to put something on my face that isn’t nourishing even though it works in the formula. So the process for me is to start with a few things and add from there. The slip of the products is important to me. The way it glides on. I need it to be smooth and creamy but not greasy.

How do you select the colors and packaging for your products? Do you pull inspiration from anywhere?

Our packaging is really special. It was important for us to create an eco-based system so our products are sustainable with the environment. Our multi-use sticks are packaged in eco-friendly cardboard containers that you can recycle or compost when you are finished. We try to create products that are going to be packaged in sustainable containers or something that can be reused. I’m really passionate about trash!

There is so much we can do as a society to continue to improve our carbon footprint and creating eco-friendly containers is just a small part of that. I think as a company it’s your responsibility to be as sustainable as you can be. There’s no reason to create something successfully but you’re adding millions of tons of waste into the environment.

What was the first product you created? Are you currently still making it?

The first product I created was the multi-use color stick in Paisley. It took SO MANY times! I think I went through something like 9 formulas before really even liking the product. We still make Paisley, and it’s a best seller. The color is soft and it’s so good for every day. A light pink you can swipe on your cheeks and lips for a bump of color. It’s so perfect!

Do you have a favorite product?

I use Get Naked and Fawn probably every day. It’s so easy to contour with Fawn with just a few swipes and I just use my fingertips to blend. And Get Naked is very versatile. I add it to my cheeks for a quick glow and the tops of my eyelids for a bit of shimmer. Usually, I top it off with Whipped Sugar because it’s sheer and some mascara, and I’m good to go.

Why is being cruelty-free (not testing on animals) important to you?

I think for me I just don’t get it. Putting lipstick on a bunny rabbit does not by any means make your makeup better. I think overall I find animal testing completely unnecessary and should be banned from the cosmetic industry. If you are worried about your makeup being poison and you need to first test it on an animal, then I don’t want it on my face. 

Duet Beauty products are safe and super clean. There isn’t a need for animal testing because the ingredients are non-toxic and chemical-free.

Do you offer any vegan-friendly products?

Some of our products are vegan! I am currently working on a badge that will be up on the individual product pages and will indicate if the product is vegan. It’s really important to me that when the product has the badge the colorant is actually vegan and contains zero animal ingredients. I want there to be no mistake when you purchase a vegan product from Duet you are actually getting a vegan product.

Do you have any new products or exciting updates in the pipeline?

There are SO MANY new products in the works! We are working on a clean beauty pressed palette, lip gloss, and lip scrubs (they smell sooooo good!). And a line of 12-free nail polishes that do not contain the 12 most harmful ingredients found in standard nail polishes. (Yay!) I am also working on a concealer/foundation product that I hope to have out within the next few months. So we are super excited to continue to expand the line and bring you some amazing things from Duet.


This post is not sponsored but may contain affiliate links from which we earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Nothing stated in this article should be used in place of professional medical advice. All opinions are our own.

Stephanie Thorn
Founder of Clean & Cruelty-Free. A Midwest girl with a passion for green beauty, makeup artistry, animals rights, and comfy leggings. Since being diagnosed with PCOS she's made it her mission to adopt a less-toxic lifestyle.